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Actor sent to prosecution for sexual assault allegion

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Actor Kang Ji-hwan is taken from Bundang Police Station in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday, as he is being referred to the prosecution on suspicion of sexual assault. / Yonhap
Actor Kang Ji-hwan is taken from Bundang Police Station in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday, as he is being referred to the prosecution on suspicion of sexual assault. / Yonhap

By Kim Jae-heun

Police referred actor Kang Ji-hwan to the prosecution, Thursday, eight days after he was detained for alleged sex crimes against two women.

He first denied the allegations, but admitted to them later during police questioning. Investigators are also looking into whether he took illegal drugs at the time of the incidents.

Kang, 42, was transferred from a detention center in Gwangju Police Station, Gyeonggi Province, to the Seongnam branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office.

Kang, wearing a face mask and cap, refused to answer reporters' questions as he was being taken into the prosecution's building.

He is suspected of raping one woman and molesting another after drinking with them at his home in Gwangju, July 9.

The two women were staff members of a subcontractor working for the entertainment company representing Kang. The three were drinking with other staff at his house, and the two women remained behind at Kang's request when everyone else left. He said he would call them a cab later.

However, Kang apparently fell asleep, as did the women, and he later allegedly entered the room where the two were sleeping and committed the crimes, according to one of the victims.

The actor denied the allegations at first saying he did not remember what had happened and he found himself lying in the bed in the women's room when he woke up.

However, he admitted to the allegations after being taken into custody, and said later that he had apologized to the victims.

A sample from DNA found on one of the victims was identified as being from Kang according to the National Forensic Service (NFS).

Police additionally requested the NFS to test Kang for drug use, as, according to police, he exhibited strange behavior when officers arrived at the scene. He was singing using a karaoke machine installed at his home before showing them to the room where the women were staying.

The test results are still pending.

Meanwhile, Kang's entertainment agency, Huayibrothers Korea, announced Tuesday that it had terminated his contract, saying the trust between them had been broken, and it could not continue working with him. Kang only signed up with the agency in May.

He has also been dropped from the TV series "Joseon Survival," which he had been starring in since June 8. Currently, the drama has aired half of its 20 episodes.


Kim Jae-heun jhkim@koreatimes.co.kr


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